Candlewood Suites Chesapeake by IHG

The front desk staff were very nice when I checked in, and getting onto the highway was quick. But my second-floor room had a really strong smell of cigarettes and weed, and the stairwells reeked of garbage from overflowing trash cans. Given those conditions, I wouldn’t stay here again, even though the location was convenient.

The room was only middling in quality, with no outdoor deck or lounge space, and the fan whirred so loudly it sounded ready for takeoff. What really put me off was the cleanliness: there were spots of black mold by the bathroom shower, hair somehow glossed into the paint along the baseboards and doorframe, and odd red-brown stains on several walls. The room also had a heavy incense musk smell. It was unnerving enough that a more curious person might wonder whether a crime had happened and been poorly covered up. I couldn’t recommend the place in good faith based on cleanliness alone.

The kitchenette makes this a useful place for a longer stay, though you can smell food in the hallways. The property is overdue for refurbishment. The stovetop was greasy, but the fridge was spotless.

The room was fine, but I’m not comfortable being put in a handicapped room. I feel those rooms should go to someone who really needs one.